The rest of the afternoon goes by in a blur of laughs, fish, petting stingrays, and another visit to the shark tank.
It’s not until the ride home—with Declan’s hand splayed across my thigh—that the afternoon really starts to sink in and the discussions that we had. This thing has an end date, but here we were discussing our children.
Hypotheticalchildren.
Right now, I have no idea what the future holds. My biggest priority—myonlypriority—is getting Enchanted Petals. After that, I can figure the rest out.
But being with Declan? Talking about our kids?
It’s not our future.
No matter how badly I may want it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
DECLAN
“Crowd is fired up today,” Cash says, shooting a puck my direction before I fire it into the goal during warm-ups.
Looking around, I’m surprised to see that most of the fans are here earlier than normal. That new-season excitement is a living breathing thing in the arena.
Even more so because we’re unveiling our championship banner.
And I get to do it with my wife in the crowd.
“I’ve never done anything like this.”
“You mean play hockey?” Troy jests.
I do my best to flip him off in my gloves.
“I mean get to be part of a championship ceremony like this.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you, man,” Cash says.
“I think that might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get used to it.”
Cash goes back to firing the puck at the goal as I do a few more laps around the ice to get my legs warmed up.
People are pounding the glass as we all skate around the rink.
God, I love this feeling.
The entire season is before us. Every team is on the same playing field. No wins and no losses. Even though we get to celebrate our championship from last year, as soon as that banner is hung, all bets are off.
As we’re called back to the locker room, I take one last look around the arena, now almost packed.
Fuck. I really can’t wait for this game to get started.
I know where the family suite is and I know that Alice is here tonight.
I’ve always loved that she’s come to my games. Even before we got married, she would come to my games. She was there at every college game, and whenever she could come to Nashville, she’d be there.
I like that she’ll be here more often.
Hell, to almost every game if she can.
